'damnable' once; 'destruction' 5 times; 'to die' once; 'perdition' 8 times;

'pernicious ways' once; and with eimi eis and accusative, 'perish' once;

'waste' twice.  The words 'damnation' and 'damnable' both occur in 2 Peter

2:1,3, 'damnable heresies' and 'their damnation'.  The same word is rendered

'pernicious ways' in verse 2, and 'destruction' in verse 1.  Here the one

word apoleia is rendered by four words in those verses.  The R.V. renders the

word 'destruction' and 'destructive' consistently (the word 'pernicious' in

verse 2 is not apoleia in the best Greek mss and is rendered 'lascivious

doings' in R.V.).  In 2 Peter 3:7 the word occurs again, translated

'perdition', and finally in verse 16, it is translated 'destruction' which

passage the R.V. renders as in the second chapter -- 'destruction'.

Once again we shall find that this word, like apollumi, is contrasted

with life, 'Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction ... narrow is the

way that leadeth unto life' (Matt. 7:13,14).  The context immediately

continues, 'Beware of false prophets', which connects this passage with its

inspired exposition in 2 Peter 2:3.  In John 17:12 we have a solemn passage

wherein the Lord uses both apollumi and apoleia.  'None of them is lost, but

the son of perdition'.  This is also the title of Antichrist in 2

Thessalonians 2:3.  Again the word occurs in Acts 8:20, 'Thy money go with

thee to destruction'.  In Romans 9:22 we read of 'vessels of wrath fitted to

destruction'.  The apostle uses the word twice in Philippians, 'token of

perdition' (1:28), and 'whose end is destruction' (3:19).  In 1 Timothy 6:9

we have a collection of words, of which the Greek language does not possess

any stronger, to express literal death and extinction of being.  Hurtful

lusts which drown men in destruction (olethros) and perdition (apoleia).

Does it not appear utterly unreasonable to say continually that men will

perish or be destroyed if they are, in fact, to be kept alive in suffering,

and they are to be miraculously preserved from perishing or from being

There is one more point which we must bring forward before closing this

study.  The subject of the soul, its nature and immortality, is discussed at

great length by Plato in the Phaedon, a dialogue on immortality, and therein

is discussed the question of the literal destruction and extinction of the

soul.  Plato wrote in Greek, his native tongue, and the Phaedon became the

great classic treatise on the subject of immortality, read, studied and

debated throughout the Greek-speaking world during the four hundred years

between its writing and the ministry of Christ.  Plato's words practically

stereotyped the philosophical phraseology of the time.  The purpose of the

dialogue is to show that in death the soul does not become extinct, that it

cannot die, perish, or be destroyed.  Modern orthodoxy, therefore, is found

ranged with Plato against the Word of God.  These words of Plato were known

and of fixed meaning in the days of Christ and the apostles.  Christ came to

reveal the truth.  Shall we say that, knowing as He did the meaning of the

words used on the subject of the soul, He wilfully, and without explanation,

took those very words concerning the very same subject, and used them in an

altogether contradictory sense!  The idea is impossible.  With reference to

the philosophic usage of apollumi, we give the following extract from

'Socrates, having said these things, Cebes answered: I agree Socrates,

in the greater part of what you say.  But in what relates to the soul

men are apt to be incredulous, they fear ... that on the very day of

death she may be destroyed and perish ... blown away and perishes

immediately on quitting the body, as the many say?  That can never be

... the soul may utterly perish ... the soul might perish ... if the